According to reports, Trai Hume is on the Foxes’ radar ahead of the winter transfer window.
Trai Hume of Sunderland is a wanted man as the January transfer window approaches, with a number of clubs interested in signing him.
According to TEAMtalk, the Championship leaders Leicester City are interested in signing the Northern Irish international.
The Foxes currently lead the second-tier standings, but it appears they are looking to strengthen their bid for promotion to the Premier League in January.
However, Enzo Maresca’s side are not the only ones interested in Hume, with Leeds United also interested.
Burnley, another Premier League club, is said to be interested in the 21-year-old.
If Leicester City wants to sign Hume, they will almost certainly have to pay Sunderland a hefty fee.
That’s because Hume only recently signed a new contract with the Black Cats.
The 21-year-old is under contract at the Stadium of Light until the summer of 2027, with Sunderland having the option to extend his contract by another year.
Trai Hume, would he be a good signing for Leicester City?
Many questions are raised by the above report, one of which is whether Trai Hume would be a good signing for Leicester. And how does he fit into Enzo Maresca’s current plans?
To respond, some of our FLW writers have shared their thoughts on the reports below.
Hannifin-Donaldson, Simmey
Despite being top of the league, Leicester City are not resting on their laurels, and identifying top Championship talent like Trai Hume will only help their promotion race if they begin to sign them.
It should be noted, however, that if Hume moves to the King Power Stadium in January, he may struggle for starts.
As good as the 21-year-old is, and as much as he is likely to improve, Leicester already have excellent full-back options in James Justin and Ricardo Pereira on the right and left flanks, respectively.
Hume is unlikely to displace either of these players, but he could be an excellent backup option for both.
The question is whether that would be beneficial to the 21-year-old’s career at this point, given that he is already a regular starter for a strong Sunderland side. Possibly not.
However, if Leicester can pull this off, it will be a deal well worth doing.
Mr. Alfie Burns
This is one of those deals that has both positives and negatives for both parties.
Looking at Leicester’s squad, it is stacked with Championship talent and easily the best in the division. However, they may be lacking in quality cover for Justin and Pereira at full-back, with Callum Doyle frequently forced into a left-back role.
Looking ahead to January, the Foxes may need to bring in a new full-back. Hume’s versatility in that he can play both sides is also a plus, providing Maresca with some versatile depth.
Given the length of Hume’s contract at Sunderland, one sticking point for Leicester could be the potential fee they’ll have to pay – though you could argue that Leicester have some financial wiggle room given their high-profile summer exits.
The final factor to consider is Hume, who would most likely travel to the King Power Stadium with no guarantee of playing in Maresca’s side. He should believe in his talent and ability to compete with Justin and Pereira for minutes, but they will not be handed to him on a silver platter, such is the nature of a squad on the verge of returning to the Premier League.
The lure of almost ensuring Premier League football in May should sway Hume’s decision, but there’s still a lot to fall into place on both sides.
